Mixed reaction to 'ambitious' EU energy package

MEPs have generally welcomed attempts by the EU to intensify efforts to cut Europe’s reliance on foreign energy supplies.

EU energy commissioner Andris Pielbalgs unveiled a strategy in parliament on Thursday partly aimed at weakening Russian energy giant Gazprom's domination of Europe's gas imports.

On the eve of a Russia-EU summit in France on Saturday, the energy package released by Pielbalgs highlighted Europe's dependence on Russian exports.

Of six energy projects pinpointed for future development, commission officials said the two "absolute priorities" were to connect the three post-Soviet Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to European power grids and to forge ahead with the so-called "southern gas corridor" which is supposed to transport gas from the Caspian basin to Europe.

Addressing the European parliament’s industry committee, the Latvian official said the package was designed to “give a new boost” to energy security.

His comments were echoed by commission president José Manuel Barroso. In a statement, he said, “We must break the vicious cycle of increased energy consumption and increased imports.

“Over 50 per cent of Europe’s energy is now imported at a cost of €700 each year for every EU citizen. We have to address this urgently.”

Reaction to the so-called ‘second energy review” was swift, with ALDE Lithuanian member Sarunas Birutis saying, “It meets the concerns of several countries and would help them to cope with a possible energy crisis.”

Luxembourg Greens MEP Claude Turmes said, “Much more needs to be done to achieve the EU’s energy goals, notably in the area of energy efficiency.”

UK ALDE deputy Fiona Hall said, “This package comes at a crucial time for the European economy but I am concerned that elements of it are inconsistent with the commission’s support for energy efficiency.”

Mariangiola Fabbri, energy policy advisor at the WWF, said, however, that the proposals contained “major contradictions.”

She said, “The measures fail as they do not include a mandatory energy saving target of 20 per cent by 2020 for the EU, a key move to cut consumer’s energy bills and boost innovation.”

The report was published on the same day as the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook for 2008 which looks at global climate change scenarios.

• Previous article
• Next article